instrūmentum, i, n. [instruo], an implement of any kind, a utensil, tool, instrument (class.).
I Lit.: militare, Caes. B. G. 6, 30: culinarum argentea, Just. 38, 10, 4: crudelia jussae instrumenta necis, Ov. M. 3, 698.—
2 Esp., sing. collect. , instruments , apparatus , material , stock , furniture (freq. and class.): instrumentum ac ornamenta villae, Cic. Dom. 24, 62: orationes magna impensā magnoque instrumento tueri, id. Verr. 2, 3, 21, § 53: belli instrumentum et apparatus, id. Ac. 2, 1, 3: rusticum, Phaedr. 4, 4, 24; Val. Max. 4, 4, 6: hostium spolia, monumenta imperatorum, decora atque ornamenta fanorum, in instrumento atque in supellectile Verris nominabuntur, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 44, § 97; cf. Pall. 1, 43, 1: hibernorum, Caes. B. C. 5, 31: bellicum, Liv. 42, 53, 4: nauticum, id. 30, 10, 3: venatorium, Plin. Ep. 3, 19, 3: piscationis, Paul. Sent. 3, 6, 41.—Esp., in law, the personalty , chattels , or stock of a farm, business, trade, etc.: fundo legato, neque instrumentum fundi ... ad legatarium pertinet, Paul. Sent. 3, 6, 34: instrumento cauponio legato, ea debentur, quae in cauponis usum parata sunt, velut vasa, id. ib. 3, 6, 61: pistoris, id. ib. § 64: medici, Dig. 33, 7, 18, § 10; cf.: in fanis alia vasorum sunt et sacrae supellectilis, alia ornamentorum, quae vasorum sunt instrumenti instar habent, quibus sacrificia conficiuntur, apparatus , Macr. S. 3, 11, 5. —
II Trop.
A Of writings, an instrument , document , record : opus est intueri omne litis instrumentum, Quint. 12, 8, 12: aerearum tabularum tria milia ... instrumentum imperii pulcherrimum ac vetustissimum, Suet. Vesp. 8: publici instrumenti auctoritas, id. Calig. 8: emtionis, Dig. 24, 1, 58: si scriptum fuerit instrumento, promisisse aliquem, Paul. Sent. 5, 7, 2: instrumentorum obligatio desideratur, id. ib. 2, 17, 13. —
B Store , provision , supply , means , assistance , furtherance , etc.: oratoris, provision , supply , Cic. de Or. 1, 36, 165: causarum, id. ib. 2, 34, 146.— Absol. : quid viatici, quid instrumenti satis sit, i. e. for a journey , Cic. Att. 12, 32, 2: instrumenta ad obtinendam sapientiam, means , id. Leg. 1, 22, 59: virtutis, id. Cat. 2, 5, 9: naturae, id. Brut. 77, 268: graviorum artium, id. ib. 97, 331: dicendi, Quint. 12, 11, 24: ciborum, i. e. organs of digestion , Plin. 7, 50, 51, § 168.—
C Ornament , embellishment : felices ornent haec instrumenta libellos, Ov. Tr. 1, 1, 9: anilia, apparel , dress , id. M. 14, 766; Suet. Aug. 73.